YouTube considers offering ad-free subscription

SAN FRANCISCO - YouTube viewers might get the option of paid subscriptions for ad-free access to the popular online video-sharing service.

Subscriptions and even a streaming music service are among new options that YouTube is considering offering its more than one billion users, YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki said at a technology conference in California late Monday.

" YouTube right now is ad-supported, which is really great in the sense that it has enabled us to scale to a billion users; anyone can access the content," Wojcicki said in an online video clip of her on-stage conference chat.

"But there are going to be cases where people will say, 'I don't want to see the ads,' or, 'I want to have a different experience.'" Wojcicki also confirmed rumours that YouTube is working on a streaming music and video service that could compete with the likes of Pandora and Spotify.

She did not provide many details, but Wojcicki said she is optimistic the music service will debut soon.